2025 in Sweden (Stockholm)
// updated 2025-11-09 14:50
On June 14, 2025, my flight landed at Stockholm Arlanda (ARN) Airport and I would explore the city for two days, staying at a hotel for two nights:
This visit made it my:
- 35th country
- 2nd country in Scandinavia
- 3rd country with a North Germanic language as an official language
- Iceland (2017, 2021, 2023) and Denmark (2025)
- 1st time in Scandinavia outside an airport setting
- 1st time in Sweden
Reflection
Sweden still felt somewhat Swedish, although Stockholm itself felt almost like any other major global city. The Swedish language was still everywhere in both print and spoken form, although tourist areas would all speak English.
No longer "exotic" for quite some time (thanks to IKEA, Volvo and other major global Swedish brands), Sweden would serve as a gateway into other lesser-known European countries and cultures.
Still, many continue to flock to the touristy old downtown of Gamla Stan, hoping to experience the fika coffee break as if they were tasting horse milk in Central Asia!